Jean-Jacques Oelofse, Wood-Mizer’s Corporate Director – Emerging Markets

Statement from Jean-Jacques Oelofse, Wood-Mizer’s Corporate Director – Emerging Markets

Wood-Mizer is multi-national sawmilling equipment manufacturer with its global headquarters situated in the USA and Europe.

Since the corporation’s start in 1982, Wood-Mizer has grown to be the global market leader in portable and stationary sawmilling. The company currently has dealer representative offices in more than 100 countries with 30 dealerships in Africa alone.

The first Wood-Mizer sawmill was introduced to South Africa in 1987, with one of the first customer incidentally being located in the Knysna area.

Despite its clear commercial imperatives, Wood-Mizer has never wavered from its core tenant, this being to be a successful company based on Christian principles. It was on the basis of this, and Wood-Mizer’s close relationship with the timber processing sector in Knysna, that the corporation felt compelled to contribute in the manner that it has to alleviate some of the hardship that has resulted from this tragedy.

Wood-Mizer’s donation of a new Wood-Mizer LT20B Diesel sawmill to the Knysna Timber Initiative (KTI) will strengthen efforts to assist in rebuilding the community, homes and to help, in a small way, to alleviate the tragedy that hit the area.

The mill, which will be managed by the KTI at its Timber Village location, will provide processed timber for the next six months to rebuild damaged structures for people that have been left homeless.
As a long-term project, the mill will be made available to community projects that requires timber to be milled and also as a training facility for training operators in the use of a bandsaw mill.

Also as part of the long-term project, the KTI would set up the mill as a business, offering a lumber milling service to local businesses. This small business will generate funds for the KTI that will be used for future skills development and training projects set up by the KTI.

Finally, sawlogs donated to the KTI and logs from invader alien species removal programmes in the area, will form the primary source of the timber milled. This will serve to restore the indigenous flora in the area back to health again.

A final word from Wood-Mizer’s Corporate Director for Emerging Markets, JJ Oelofse: “First and foremost, from Wood-Mizer, our heartfelt condolences to the people of Knysna and the surrounding areas that have suffered personal tragedy and damage due to the fires that happened in early June.

“We trust that this contribution that we have given to you, will help build a renewed and energized community.

“Wood-Mizer gladly lends its assistance in making sure that #KnysnaRises again. God’s speed and good luck”

Issued by Jean-Jacques Oelofse, Corporate Director – Emerging Markets, Wood-Mizer.